Shayne Gallagher
Founder/Executive Director
For more than 30 years, Shayne Gallagher has provided healing wilderness experiences for adolescents, young adults, and families. With...
Sheri Gallagher
Founder/Director of Operations
Sheri was born in Utah, however, typical of military families, her family moved a lot. The longest she lived in one place was 2½...
Teague Perkins
Social Media Director
Teague brings 9 years of wilderness therapy experience to the WinGate team. Teague was introduced to wilderness therapy as a student of...
Blaine Fisher
Program Director
With the exception of a two-year period in which Blaine spent performing service in Argentina, Blaine has worked continuously in the...
Kolton Perkins
Logistics Director
Kolton was born in Kanab, UT and raised out on the hills and cliffs that surround the area. He understands the power that the wilderness...
Michael Sanders
Field Director
Michael Sanders was first introduced to wilderness therapy and the power of natural medicine when his sister was enrolled as a student in...
Zachary Pratt
Field Director
Zach grew up in central Missouri, spending his days on the river or in the woods. He attended Missouri State University, where he studied...
Heidi Stangeland
Family Coordinator
Heidi Stangeland was born and raised in Norway, and moved to the United States in 2011. Heidi began working at WinGate in 2018 as a...
Sari Ammon
Business Administrator
Sari was born in Kanab, UT. Growing up with a father who loved the outdoors, she was raised with a passion to explore every aspect of...
Erin Grover, LCSW, MSW, TRS, CTRS, SEP
Clinical Director
Erin Grover has spent the last 18 years helping individuals and families grow and make positive changes. During her 15 years in the...
Scott Hess, MA, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Scott Hess began his career as a marriage and family therapist in 1996, working with juvenile sex offenders in locked facilities. That...
Kathy Ruiz, LCSW, RYT
Primary Therapist
Kathy has extensive experience in experiential learning and therapy, starting her career over a decade ago working as a wilderness...
David Saldaña, MSW, CSW
Primary Therapist
David Saldaña has been working in the field of therapy and mental health for 22 years, working in both wilderness and residential...
Ed Simons, LCSW, BCD
Primary Therapist
Ed has spent the last 24 years helping individuals and families working with Utah's Family Preservation Program and as a combat...
Dale Christensen, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Dale Christensen has been practicing emergency medicine for over 15 years and is currently a staff physician at Utah Valley Regional...
Jake Roberts, APRN
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Jake's formal education consists of an AS Degree from Dixie State University, a BSN Degree from Southern Utah University, and a MSN...
Kyle Tolman
Medical Director
A Utah-native, Kyle has spent his whole life in the wilderness, exploring the desert. If he didn't go exploring with his grandfather,...
Josh Gunalda
Admissions Director
Josh has over 18 years of experience working in wilderness therapy. He began his career leading wilderness expeditions for adjudicated...
Lacey Ely
Outreach Director
Lacey grew up in Southern Missouri where she developed a love of the outdoors. She followed this passion and spent over three years...
Josh Nelson
Roots Intensives Director
Josh Nelson has a deep, and extensive background in wilderness therapy, having grown up around some of the very first wilderness...
Sarah Persha, M.A.
Parent Coaching Director
Sarah Persha, MA, joins Wingate Education in the expansion of parent and family services including Expanse, Roots, and Awakenings. As...